The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-06-16
Life in the Steerage.

A writer in the outing puts in plea
for the steerage, and advises individu-
ais or families to whom expenditure
is in any important degree a considera-
ton" to travel by that means, as
they can get to their destination at the
rate of 50 day instead of at SO day.
The romance of travel, like the
romance of life, is the rough side of it, :"
this writer says. why not regard an
experience in the steerage as a sea pic
nic or bit of marine rustication?'
A gentleman who made trip in the
steerage of an ocean steamship 'iust
for fun read the article in outing with
much interest. Il wonder if the writer
ever tried a steerage passages" he said
to a reporter of this paper. Il think
not. The chances are that he has
merely stood on the bridge and
watched the steerage victims in their
pleasanter odd moments, when they
are allowed on deck. and are joyous in
their temporary release from their
dark Imprisonment below. Certainly
no man who had ever been a steerage
passenger in reality would recommend
such an experiment to any but q lost
soul who had only that means of
escape from some dread calamity. A
steerage passage! Great heavens! Does
the writer realize the full meaning of
his advice? Now let me tell you what
a steerage is like. A long, low. dark
room, dimlv Illuminated during the day
bv struggling rays through the thick
head lights, against which tie waters
swash continually, and at night by a
smoky lantern whose cheerless rays
only add to the cheerless gloom. A
long board table, a few round stools con-
stitute the only furniture. Along the
sides are ranged two o. three tiers of
open hunks against the damp ship
timbers, for the room is mostly below
the water line.
Here are gathered promiscuously
men, women and children, herded to-
@ether like animals rather than human
beings IN their miserable quarters, and
in their forced confinement mod
esty is soon forgotten. The ventilation
at best is but scant and the eXhala-
tions from the persIiring LOdies and
their not oyerclean garments, together
with the reeking timLcTs, the odor OF
pitch, the musty bedding, the steam
from the food and the fumes from old
tobacco pipes, render the atmosphere
foul, sitting, and nauseating in the cx-
treme, which is by no means clarified
in case of violent weather when sea-
sickness is common. The only escape
from the uninyiting pen is when the
victims--are allowed on deck. In
pleasant heather life on deck is enjoy
able ard full of interest.
The menu of the steerage usually
includes soups in tin kettles, coarse
meats, hash, i'll boiled potatoes, and
broken bread from the cabin table.
This food is served in tin dishpans.
Tea and coffee are passed around in
buckets, the principle difference be-
tween them is that the tea is less thick
and muddy than the coffee. The whole
mess is slung pell-mell on the table and
the passengers make dive and grab.
The number of tin plates and cups,
iron knives and forks, and tin spoons
is limited He or she who fails to
secure a supply of dishes at the first
grab must simply wait till some luck
Ter individual finishes. There being no
possible opportunity to wash the uten-
sis, they must be used as they are, eX-
cept such cleaning as could be done by
scraping off with the knife
Then there is another matter that
claims attention. No facilities are
provided for bathing. The steerage
passenger may wash his hands and
face in the common washstand on deck.
but that's all, Under such conditions
bugs and vermin thrive apace, and the
less one is inclined to tolerate them the
more they are determined to grow in
innate, and their increase is only de-
termined by the length of the voyage. "
-NelU York Commercial AdUertiSer.